Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a packaging sleeve for medical purposes for storing sterile objects according to the preamble of patent claim 1.
An important factor in the storage and presentation of medical objects and surgical instruments in the operating room is to ensure the sterility of the object or instrument arranged in a packaging sleeve.
The subject matter of DE 693 19 704 T2 relates to a sterilized packaging for surgical instruments, where the packaging consists of an outer sheath for example a polyethylene bag, which is sealed with a pull strip. Several layers of foam with closed cells are arranged inside the bag. The various instruments and devices for use in a surgical procedure are arranged in each of the layers of foam with closed cells. The container with the foam layers is surrounded by a first sheath. This sheath is designed to be sterile, and a second sterile sheath encloses the first sterile sheath.
Such a bag system with instruments embedded in the foam in it has the disadvantage that its imperviousness cannot be guaranteed. Its imperviousness is ensured only by adhesive strips and the respective seals. It is therefore also not suitable for holding sterile liquids because the imperviousness of the packaging cannot be ensured.
DE 699 38 259 C2 describes a sterile packaging for flexible endoscopes. It consists of a pocket with a front film made of a clear impermeable polymer and a rear film made of a semipermeable material, such as a polyethylene nonwoven.
An adhesive seal covers the outside edges of the front film and forms a sealed interior. Accordingly, with this bag packaging, there is again the disadvantage that only the imperviousness is to be ensured by sealing surfaces, in the area of adhesive films. However, this is not enough for certain intended applications, in which increased demands are made of the imperviousness.
Discussion of the Prior Art
US 2014/0042050 A1 describes a packaging sleeve for medical purposes for storing sterile objects, consisting of a sealing closure, which can be screwed onto the outer sleeve of the packaging, which is open at one end.
A second packaging sleeve, which is offset by 180°, can be inserted into and stored in the outer sleeve with a clamping effect in the sealing closure.
The object to be protected from contamination is situated in the interior of the inner sleeve, which can be sealed with a similar sealing closure.
One disadvantage of this known packaging is that it is impossible to ensure that the respective seal is also designed to be tight enough simply by screwing the sealing closure onto the outer sleeve.
Another disadvantage is that the object to be protected from contamination is not clamped in the inner sleeve. Instead it is freely displaceable there. Removal of such an object is therefore difficult, because the sealing closure must be unscrewed from the inner sleeve for the purpose of removal, so that the object stored there loosely can fall out accidentally.
Another disadvantage of US 2014/0042050 A1 is that it is impossible to ensure a reliable seal on the outer sleeve because the inner sleeve accommodated in the bottom area of the sealing closure does not result in tightening of the seal between the sealing closure and the interior of the outer sleeve.
Another disadvantage is that the sealing closure also does not ensure reliable sealing for the closure of the inner sleeve because, even with this sealing closure, there is still the problem that there is no radial widening of the sealing ribs of this sealing closure by an expansion object clamped in the bottom area of the sealing closure.